Snapshots In The Sand
by Mystic Rains
Summary: The LoveMe girls win a spot in the female's 'Most Attractive Talent' list, & get sent off to take beach shots to enhance their images. Still, it's not like they get to pick their own suits. Also, the 'Most Attractive Talent' male winners need photos too.
1. Chapter 1

**While the plot may be of my own delusion, Skip Beat is not. It's Yoshiki Nakamura, as well as all the legal giants who own its copyrights and blah blah.**

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"Ah Mo! It's too sunny!" Kanae held down her oversized sunhat with her forearm, keeping it from blowing away in the ocean's salty breeze. It cast a dark shade over her face, adding of the protection of large fashionable sunglasses she wore. The tall girl crossed her arms over her bare stomach once the wind eased. She looked back towards her co-worker, trailing behind in the warm white sand.

"Hurry up. The sooner we finish this, the sooner we can go back inside." The long haired beauty paused along the beach, allowing her fellow actress to catch up to her. "This is so embarrassing."

"But you look so pretty Moko-san!" Kyoko chirped happily. Her eyes were round and sparkled, as she raved about her friend. "That bikini looks so nice on you!"

Kanae pale cheeks became a tinge red, as she turned her head away. The rose triangle bikini top filled out nicely along her upper half, spotted with large, white polka dots. The cream colored circles matched the floppy cotton hat, her sunglasses, and the string cargo shorts that covered the matching bikini bottom. Her legs looked thin and lengthy, as they finished off with wedged heel sandals.

She muttered her embarrassed thanks and turned back to the edge of the beach. The large crew buzzed around the area, setting up along the waterfront. Different large spotlights, various sizes of tripods, dozens of chairs, and innumerable amounts of props moved to and fro, as the director and photographer shouted their orders to prepare for the next scene.

"You definitely deserve to be a model Moko-san!" Kyoko rambled happily, clapping her hands together and bringing it to her cheek.

"What!? I'm an actress before I'm a model! Do you think I can't be an actress too!?" Whipping her head around so fast that her lengthy black hair fluttered behind, Kanae gave her companion a dark accusatory look.

"No no, that's not what I meant!" Kyoko river tears started to flow as she ran after her buddy, who stomped angrily through the hills of sand. "Moko-san!"

"And!" Remembering something, Kanae turned back suddenly and poked a sharp finger into Kyoko's covered chest. "Why do I have to be so bare while you get something to cover up with!? I didn't even get to see what your bikini looks like!"

The shorter girl blushed this time, looking away from her friend. The tangerine full length cover-up did hide most of her petite body, with enough material to wave in the wind like a flag. It hung loosely from her collarbone to her ankles. Her rubber flip flops only occasionally peeked from under the dress, when she held the material above her knees. The single hint of her swimsuit was the thin black string that tied around Kyoko's delicate neck. "I can't walk around without it Moko-san. I don't have your body, and my suit is really embarrassing!"

"Do you think mine isn't?!" She cried back, self consciously folding her arms over her chest. "Sometimes I hate that stupid president. We're actresses; we shouldn't be posing in bikinis for some dim-witted magazine just because we made some dumb 'most-attractive-talent list'. I mean, what kind of stupid title is that?! And they classified me under a _model _who _acts_! I'm an _actress _who _models_!"

Kyoko bowed her head, casting a shadow over her eyes. Her voice was deadpan as she recited the President's words. It served more as a reminder to herself than to her buddy. "It will be a great way to introduce yourselves to your fans as the people behind the talent. Your audience must love you, not only your characters. Besides, what girl doesn't love looking cute in swimsuits with handsome men nearby…"

Kyoko's demons started to escape, casting a cloud over the hot afternoon sun. The beach darkened. Her body lit up like a torch, flickering in her own obsidian flames of hatred, as Kanae jumped back. "AS IF I WANT TO SEE THAT DAMN MAN! MUCH LESS IN A SWIMSUIT!"

"Kotonami-san! We're ready for you!" A staff member's voice on the beach called. The clouds dissipated and the fire extinguished, as the next model ran to set.

Kyoko watched her friend's back run to meet with the photographers. She inhaled deeply, then sighed all the air away.

_By all rights, I shouldn't even be here. The stupid fluff magazine had made a mistake classifying Moko-san as a model, rather than an actress. If the silly beauty list we 'won' really had only one slot, per category, per gender, Kanae-chan would have definitely won the actress slot. Especially when in comparison with some no name, plain girl with little height and even smaller chest._

"Hey stupid! Don't just stand there in the sun! You'll damage your skin!"

Kyoko head shot up. The voice was extremely familiar. That youthful angry voice that despised sun more than a vampire and had given her the first real 100% in her LoveMe notebook could never be forgotten.

"Matsunai-san! I didn't know you were here!" The LME pop idol hadn't changed much. She was covered in a thick black robe, which covered her face in darkness and shielded her famous porcelain skin from anything that could mar it. "You won the most attractive singer?"

Ruriko grabbed the stunned actresses' hand and dragged her down the sand. Fluttering along like a banner behind the young singer, the pair of teenage girls didn't stop until they were near the photo site. There, they took refuge from the sun under an enormous beach umbrella, landing in the cool sand. The vocalist threw off her shielding hood and glared.

"Why do you sound so surprised that I won?" Ruriko asked her, partly annoyed. "I've been doing really well in the music charts. Don't you follow the radio?"

Shaking her head, Kyoko laughed lightly and blushed. "I'm not surprised Matsunai-san. I just don't listen to music much, or follow the industry."

"Ah, really? I heard rumors around LME you were close to Fuwa Sho, so I figured…" The temperature around them dropped by several degrees. Matsunai suddenly grabbed her robe, and tightened it around her for warmth. She shivered, partly in cold, but mostly in fear at the LoveMe girl's hateful look. She threw up her arms and shook them, pretending to laugh off the comment. "…but you know rumors! They're never anything substantial most of the time! Anyways…"Ruriko looked around for a topic of conversation. Spotting the shoot taking place, she turned the conversation to that instead. "Is it true Kotonami Kanae also in LoveMe? Do you both have to wear those bright pink uniforms?"

The mood melted as the look of hate turned to a look of admiration. Kyoko also turned to the water, as the actress/model pretended to play with a beach ball by herself. Beaming and giggling for the camera, kicking up water, made Kanae look a lot sweeter than she usually did when she marched into work.

"Yes, she's also in LoveMe. Unfortunately she has to wear the uniform too..." Kyoko spoke like a proud parent, watching her pretty daughter grow up. "...but she actually makes it look better. Moko-san can make anything look good, as well as act in anything! She's the best friend I've ever had!"

"Moko-san?" Ruriko asked curiously.

"Yep! She won't let me call her by her first name, so I call her Moko-san. It's because she always goes 'Ah, mo!' when she talks to me!" The actress smiled brightly at the thought. Ruriko lightly retreated, laughing nervously. If that was how her best friend treated her, she worried for the girl's social life.

"Well um…you can act in anything too you know. I've seen you in Dark Moon & Box R when I get off work early or I'm traveling." The singer said, half uneasily, half admiring. "You've really gotten big. You get to work with Tsuruga-san again, and Mio and Natsu give me shivers."

Kyoko laughed uneasily as well. She reached back and scratched her head. "Well I'm really glad I get a chance to act. I'm not sure about modeling though."

Back on familiar ground, Ruriko smiled and tried to comfort Kyoko. "Oh it's no big deal. You just stand the way they tell you, and keep still while they snap photos. I've had to do it loads of times. You even get to keep the bikini."

"Do you like your outfit Matsunai-san?" She asked curiously. Her voice sounded downtrodden.

"Yeah, it's actually really cute." Ruriko unclenched the robe and pulled it off. She exposed the cute, push-up two piece. Its bright sapphire colour brought out her eyes, and the small glittery pieces shimmered even without the direct sunlight hitting it. Kyoko's eyes widened in appreciation, then her head fell as she remembered her situation.

"Do you not like yours?" The idol asked, cocking her head to the side.

Her companion sighed. "It's a bit too much for me…"

"Let me see!"

"It's a bit embarrassing..."

"Come on, you'll have to take it off anyways!"

"Wait! wait!"

The sing star grabbed the hem of the maxi dress and stood up, yanking the orange fabric over the actress's head. After much writhing and tugging, the dress finally popped off.

"There!" Ruriko said confidently. She rolled up the mess of fabric in her hands. "Now let me see!"

She looked down at Kyoko in shock, raking her eyes from her rubber sandals slowly to the top of her head. Ruriko blushed at the chosen ensemble, and all the designer cuts to the fabric. The actress cried and crossed her arms over her chest.

Trying to look on the bright side, the singer apprehensively smiled and scratched her chin. "Well…maybe it'll all be head shots…"

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**I have three more chapters planned, then from there I've no idea where I want to go with this story. Just another release of silly ideas.**


	2. Chapter 2

**This fanfic feels like the written form of fan service. If only I could draw… At least I can imagine! *goofy smile***

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The three attractive men grasped onto each other's shoulders, pretending to laugh together as they walked through the breaking waves. The sun reflected over their toned bodies, as it caught the ocean's mist on their skin.

The tallest man, on the furthest left side of the group, gave the dazzling gentleman's smile he was known best for. The collared, short-sleeve white shirt was left open, exposing his broad, muscular chest. The forest green swim trunks was set off the only additional piece he wore, a tribal jade stone attached with a fine leather rope around his neck.

The youngest man, standing on the right side of the trio, smirked in the charmingly bad boy way his fans prized him for. The white mesh shirt did little to hide his lean chest, but the one-of-a-kind risqué shirt fit his image. The simple, black board shorts he had on blended with the multiple rubber wristbands that wrapped around both wrists. The black and white ensemble went well against his mess of bright blond hair.

The male model in the middle, both in position and age, tried to smile through the wincing pain. The other two men draped their arms over his shoulder, and squeezed as they tugged him to their side. Unlike the other two, he had nothing to cover his bare chest. Instead he wore some khaki cargo shorts and a matching visor in his long, dark brown hair.

The photographer sighed as he pulled away his camera. He stood up and wiped away the beads of sweat from his face, as the sun beat down on all of them.

"Tsuruga-san, Fuwa-san, your facial expressions are too annoyed." The photographer shaded the screen on his camera, and flipped through some of the past photos. He shook his head and sighed. "The pictures are reading as if there's animosity between you. We really need a picture of comradeship. Let's take ten, and then we'll work on the individual shots. We'll let you go first Fuwa-san."

Once the photographer turned, the two men pulled apart immediately, leaving the third behind. Fuwa Sho, the winner of the most attractive musician award, looked towards Tsuruga Ren, winner of the most attractive actor award. He smirked at the performer. "I thought you did this as one of your professions Tsuruga. I guess you can't even be just a pretty face."

The famous actor just shrugged, not rising to the musician's bait. "There's only so much a professional can do, when working with a novice, one-trick pony in the industry."

"What did you call me, old man?" Sho turned and pointed angrily at Ren, his voice growing louder.

"Excuse me? 'Old man'?" Ren crossed his arms, his eye twitching.

Ishibashi Hikaru watched the two men with confused curiosity. He rolled his shoulder around, stiff from the grip of both men. He was surprised by the antics of the two of them. He had met both on Yappa Kimagure Rockon several occasions, and they were usually quite professional. Tsuruga Ren was definitely the quiet type of celebrity, but he was extremely well mannered and serious about his work. He didn't seem the type to pick on his co-workers. Fuwa Sho was a bit arrogant, but he had talent and knew how to laugh with the hosts when they got off camera.

To see both men act so, well… _immature_ was quite a shock.

Hikaru did his best to walk past the two men without interfering. The last thing he wanted was to be caught in the middle again. He went to the only person on set he figured would have an answer or two.

Yashiro sat under an umbrella, fanning himself as he watched the two stars glare daggers into each other. Although Sho was much more obvious with his dislike, Ren's superhuman smile reflected more anger than the manager had seen in his smile in quite some time. In the back of his mind, he thought about getting up and breaking the bickering men apart. However, it was just too hot to leave the small sun shelter.

"Long time no see, Yashiro-san." The host handed the sweltering manager a bottle of cold water, which he gratefully accepted. He looked up and down at the fully dressed attendant. "Why are you wearing a suit on the beach?"

"Ishibashi-san, a manager is a manager wherever he is." Pushing up his glasses, the light refracted off its lenses. "He cannot simply take a vacation because his charge is on the beach."

"Must be tough…" Hikaru said in a mix of exasperation and sympathy, as Yashiro polished off the purified bottle with only a few deep gulps. The host sat down next to him. "Anyways…do you know what's up with those two?" He thumbed back towards the scene on the beach. Ren coolly walked away from a shouting, red-faced Sho, as the staff members watched them curiously.

"Ah..them…" Yashiro raked his brain for a plausible excuse to throw him off. Before he realized what he was saying, he spouted the truth. "A women…"

"Really? That's a surprise…" Hikaru said, intrigued.

Nervously laughing at his own stupidity, Yashiro shook his head. "I can't say much more than that though."

"I understand. It makes sense though…girls can make us go crazy." The popular host gave an embarrassed chuckle. "To be quite honest Yashiro-san, I actually want to see Kyoko-chan. She kind of drives me crazy too."

Yashiro looked at the model in surprise. In his mind, Kyoko always fit into the tiny box he labeled 'adorably strange love hater who would eventually be together with Ren'. He never pictured that other men would take an interest in her as well. It was one thing to tease his charge that Kyoko would be stolen away, but to hear another man express interest raised the stakes.

Reading his expression, the host laughed and scratched the back of his head.

"I know she can be a bit strange…but she's really admirable. She has great work ethic, she's a wonderful actress, and…" The host paused and leaned over so he wouldn't be overhead. He started to blush. "Once she gave me this look. It was really…she can be…sexy…."

Yashiro mouth fell. He wanted to run off in panic and shake Ren. He had to tell Ren that one of his attractive co-workers showed an express interest in the girl he had interest in for months on end. Instead, he composed himself quickly and let out a polite laugh.

"She's only seventeen you know…" The manager said, trying to sound like Ren. To child him, and sound like the age difference was much too serious. Instead, Hikaru raised an eyebrow at him.

"It's not like I'm telling you to go after her…"

"I'm only twenty six!" The manager bawled, insulted. "I'm not that old! I could go after Kyoko if I wanted to!"

Yashiro's blood froze, as a wave of red hot sparkles rushed in his direction. Worriedly, he looked towards the beach in the corner of his eye. His charge stared quite intently at him, beaming brightly all the while. Apparently Ren's hearing was much too good.

"Well, I just turned twenty-one Yashiro-san." Hikaru said annoyed, oblivious to the imminent danger. "That's only a four year difference."

Inside, Yashiro cried. _That's what I tell Ren! And now he thinks I'm interested in her too!_

"Let's go see the girls' set then!" The manager cried hurriedly, as he pulled the young male idol on his feet.

Yashiro could feel the starry look land like daggers on his back as they retreated. Maybe Hikaru would give him a ride home.


	3. Chapter 3

**This is my light-hearted fun story, which aims to get everyone in the mood for summer. Yay! Don't forget sunscreen! I hope I described the bathing suit well enough to give a proper image. Sorry for everyone who thought she'd be in three pieces of string.**

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"I think we have some great shots." The photographer said happily, scrolling through his shots on the full size monitor. He nodded to the magazine producer and creative director, who nodded back in agreement. "Okay Kotonami-san, you're done. We can move on to Mogami-san."

"Otsukaresama" The actress said politely, bowing to the photographer. She stepped out of the surf and along the beach to get out of the sun.

A nearby staff member handed her a bottle of water and a towel to dry off with, which she exchanged with the silly beach ball prop. Kanae patted the white cloth over her head, whipping away the ocean's saltwater and the artificial glittery mist the shoot had called for. The process had taken much longer than she expected, and the Okinawa warm weather took a lot out of her. Unscrewing the cap, she appreciated the refreshing drink as it cooled down her system.

Kanae choked on her water, her face falling as the familiar sobs echoed from nearby. "Mo…that girl…" She stomped towards the direction of the sound, reminded of her friend's plight.

Once in view, Kyoko shuffled over to her best friend like a sand-crab. She grabbed onto Kanae's leg and cried openly. "This is so embarrassing Moko-san! I'm only use to school swimsuits! Save me!"

The top of the bikini was held up only by the small black string, tied up behind her neck in an elegant bow. As the material branched lower, the top of the bikini widened just enough to cover the half the swell of her chest. Most of her cleavage was on display, as the two parts of the black bikini were attached only by a large golden hoop. The back of the bikini was also tied craftily, just as thin as the string around her neck.

From the gold hoop a relatively thin piece of onyx fabric branched downwards, connecting to the bottom part of her bathing suit. The actual bottom part of the fabric only covered the sensitive area just below her abdomen, and circled around to capture the curve of her backside as minimally as possible. Two more small golden hoops sat on each side her lower hip bone, exposing more skin between it.

Moko looked down, taking in the swimsuit chosen for the petite actress. Surprisingly, she huffed at her fellow LoveMe member's plight. "This is what you were so worried about? The bathing suit is fine! It's a one-piece! Yours even covers more skin then mine does."

Kyoko quickly ran her eyes over her best friend's frame, doing some quick mathematical calculations. The "monokini" did technically cover more, Kyoko thought as she mentally measured the amount of fabric Moko-san's bathing suit had in comparison to her own, but not by much.

"Only by 3.53 inches (9 cm) Moko-san!" _What kind of girl could wear such a bathing suit and not be embarrassed?_

"Kyoko!" The way she barked the smaller girl's name made her pull back in horror, and curl into a fetal position on the sand. Kanae put her hands on her hips, and loomed over like an angry mother hen over her disobedient chick. "Are you not an actress? Would you run off-set if a costume designer gave you this to wear?"

Kyoko looked up at her furious best friend with large doe eyes, and shook her head hesitantly.

"Then get up and do your role properly!"

"…but…" The livid look made her turn away and close her eyes in fear. Kyoko grabbed her head and shook it, trying to clear her thoughts.

_Think! Think! I need to be professional! This is a role! Kuon is impossible, the fallen angel is out, Mio can't be…Setsu might wear this, but it's a bit too fashionable for her…_

The answer ran through her head like a shot of electricity. Like a bolt of lightning, it jumped from a couple sparks, to a small flame, to a blinding blaze in a few moments.

_Of course! This would definitely cure her boredom for a little while. A popular vacation beach spot, a sexy bathing suit, and lots of men staring at her. Not only would she not be embarrassed, she'd thrive in this environment!_

Natsu's golden eyes opened slowly, shaping into the admired narrow, cat-like slits that had become so popular. She slowly unfurled herself from her fetal position, and stood up to her full height. Kicking off the ugly rubber sandals, she began to walk towards the director with a graceful breeze Kanae had never seen before.

Pausing for a moment, Kyoko put her hand on her bare hip and turned to the stunned, bikini clad girl. Her lips curled up in a small acknowledging smile, as she spoke in her velvet, charmingly authoritative voice.

"Thanks Kanae-chan."

Her smile became sly, as she spotted the three familiar men in the distance. Redirecting her path, she walked to the closest two in front, her hair catching in the breeze.

"Why hello Hikaru-san, Yukihito-san." She tilted her head a bit, and smiled a bit wider.

Both men blushed as they looked at her mostly bare figure. Turning away, they stammered out their nervous, polite salutations.

"Hikaru-san, I really like your hat." Leaning up, she pulled the host's visor back so that he had no choice but to turn his head and look at her. His pupils reflected mostly embarrassment, and shock, but the hint of something else behind it made her giggle. She adjusted the visor so that its overcast shaded his eyes. "It seems a bit loose though…"

Hikaru body stiffened as Kyoko pressed her figure to his bare chest, wrapping her arms around his head so she could readjust the hat. She could feel his rapid heartbeat as she pulled the velcro apart and tightened the brim of the cap.

"That's much better…" Kyoko said with content. Her smile reminded him of the cat who ate the canary, as she pulled away. She turned her head to the other man, who watched her in fascinated horror.

"And Yukihito-san, what are you doing wearing your suit at the beach?" The small girl walked slowly to the other man. Kyoko leaned closer to the stunned manager, and slowly began to undo the first two buttons on his dress shirt. Exposing his chest, she then took the sides of his suit jacket, and began to slip it off his shoulders. "You're really much too formal Yukihito-san." Yashiro looked down at the innocent actress, at a loss for words. Looking up at his dazed face, she giggled darkly and pulled the jacket fully off of his frame. She leaned towards his ear and whispered loudly enough for both men to hear. "I won't tell Tsuruga-san if you won't."

"Mogami-san! We're reading to start shooting!"

"Hai Hai…" The girl drawled, calling back lazily over her shoulder. After draping the jacket over his shoulder, she winked at the both of them, and ran towards the staff. Most of the eager male faces turned to watch her, but the two men tore their eyes away from her back. They looked away from each other, blushing madly.

"Was th-th-that really K-ky-kyoko-chan?" Yashiro finally stammered out.

"…I told you she could be…" Ishibashi trailed off, glancing back at the actress. She sat in the makeup chair, as the beauty director worked with the hairstylist on Kyoko's hair. "I kind of wish I could have kept that side of her a secret…"

The manager decided suddenly, swallowing a lump in his throat. "We can never let Tsuruga know about this." He burst out, turning to the other man.

Saying he could technically be interested in Kyoko was bad enough, but if his charge ever knew what thoughts ran though his twenty six year old, single male mind… Well, Tsuruga Ren was organized enough to run his schedule on his own without anyone knowing that his manager wasn't present, and the actor could play a serial killer a little too perfectly.

"Hmm…what shouldn't he know Yashiro-san?"

Turning his head slowly behind, Yashiro gazed upon the one man he knew it would be, but wished it hadn't been. If looks could kill, Yashiro was sure he'd have the most beautiful, sparkling, unmarred corpse there ever was on the island of Japan. It would baffle the doctors delivering the autopsy. "Cause of death: Unknown. Corpse in perfect condition."

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**I apologize for how short these chapters seem uploaded, but that's usually how I write. **

**Sorry Yashiro! You're simply too cute to escape my teasing. *high pitched egotistical laughter***


	4. Chapter 4

**¬. ¬ All these good reviews are frightening me. I hope I can meet your expectations. I wanted to get this published sooner since people seem so interested. This story only got about two or three more chapters left in it. It was simply suppose to serve as a creative release from the inventive hole I've written myself into in another story.**

**And did I say this story was ****light-hearted****? I take it back. I don't know about anyone else, but my major fangirl tendencies always come out most when Ren is protective/jealous. Tee hee. **

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Ever since he showed an interest in acting, Kuu had instructed his son to always pay attention to his environment. "An good actor is continuously observant of the world around him." His father would whisper as they sat at the airport, waiting for his jet. "Every moment, no matter how small or insignificant, needs to be stored for whenever it may be required as a reference." The way a cheating spouse smiles as he greets his wife, the happiness a small child emits after receiving what they were really hoping for; real life is the way an actor continuously studies to improve his trade.

When he was older, Kuon would ask his father for advice. Kuu would imitate feelings through his stances, and tell him to interpret them. People could say anything they wanted to, but body language was the view to the truth. If you could read and display body language, a real performer had no need for lines. This, his father had instructed him, would be the way you could become a master of the acting trade.

Even after he left California, Ren had taken his father's pieces of advice to heart. He kept near perfect control over his own body. That way, his body was a blank canvas to the need of his characters when he was in front of a camera. He continuously thought about how a character would play out in his mind; how said character would respond to events in the script, to other people in the script, then to things outside the realm of the story. Understanding them helped him act them out properly.

Unlike him, she didn't need to be think or be told of a character's reactions while off set. Whenever she entered into her characters, her body became the possession of someone else entirely. He never saw hesitation when she fully stepped into her role of Mio, and once she got the walk, her Natsu evolved like a flower in bloom. While he always had control when he was acting, she never had any.

He was a master because he trained for his parts. She was becoming a master because she could metamorphosize into hers.

The only thing that kept him from ripping off his shirt and covering her with it was the fact that Kyoko wasn't herself. Her supercilious look and the polished long strides had caught him just as off-guard as the two men in front of him. She smiled for them, but looked directly at him. Her confident glance told Ren clearly that she was perfectly comfortable strutting around in the minimal fabric, and that she had no need for a knight and shining armor to hide her from the world. It temporarily froze him, and kept him from joining the men just in front of him.

Kyoko captivated them both with her presence. It was obvious how well she had them spellbound, because Yashiro could usually feel his charge's presence a mile away, even without looking. Neither of them seemed to notice how close the actor actually was.

He clenched his teeth with displeasure as she made conversation with the host. Character or not, it was still Kyoko's body. Her body that was pressing against a man. Her arms that were currently wrapping around a man. A man that apparently already had an interest in her, judging by the way her eyes seemed to flicker in satisfaction as she peered into him.

Her golden eyes filled with laughter as she secretly examined him. He knew his fist was lightly shaking at his side, but he couldn't seem to fully steady it. While Kyoko would have read that as ashamed anger, her Natsu could see right through to the truth like transparent glass. His jealousy was her amusement.

His eyes narrowed considerably as the tease switched from the host to his manager. It was one thing to flirt with a man that Ren knew already had an interest in her. It was something else entirely to win over Yashiro, the manager who Ren knew wanted Kyoko to be with him more than anyone else. Yashiro was the living, breathing version of loyalty personified. The way his best friend froze and stiffened as the young girl handled him, reminded Ren that his companion was a man too. Apparently a torn one, between allegiance and unexpected desire.

Her eyes caught his as she leaned to Yashiro's ear. "I won't tell Tsuruga-san if you won't."

She was purposefully, expertly baiting him. And like a helpless fish, he was biting.

On a few occasions, Kyoko would trigger his protective, possessive side. It'd usually be by complete accident. Either with her stalker, or Fuwa, it would never be directly her fault. It was okay with him honestly. Ren wanted to be the one to save her. He simply wanted the girl he cared for to stay by only his side, and think of him.

Apparently her subconscious knew his selfishness too, because Natsu purposefully found the emotional knife, and twisted the blade 180 degrees. For the first time in his life, Ren felt an unabridged possessive side he thought he didn't have. The side his ex-girlfriends tried to evoke from him when they threatened to break up. Some girls that he had dated, did try to flirt with other men to get his attention, but he had mistaken it as a desire for freedom and easily let them go. By all rights Kyoko wasn't even his, and he felt his fingers twitched as the male idol expressed his desire to 'keep that side of her a secret.' By all rights, as her senpai, he should be saying that. When would this guy even have a chance to see _any_ side of her anyway?

He took a deep steadying breath as she ran from the group, trying to recover himself. This is what her character wanted him to feel like... It wasn't _really_ Kyoko. Maybe it was just a plan, he told himself soothingly. If anyone could plot this, it would be the President. The President who mocked him for not knowing about what love and jealously felt like. The thought calmed him a bit. Maybe they were all in it together. Lory _could_ be that devious. Yashiro would come up and tell him about what Kyoko did to make him more experienced with emotions, and everything would all work out.

His neutral face cracked in half as his manager said he wanted to keep the encounter a secret.

"Hmm…what shouldn't he know Yashiro-san?" The actor asked his friend, in a calm curious voice. "And what side would you like to keep a secret, Ishibashi-san?" Ren's face remained disinterested, but he couldn't really restrain the way his biceps twitched and the way he purposefully loomed over the two shorter men, as they turned around to see him.

Both men swallowed at the treacherous aura. Yashiro, knowing the danger, reacted first. He backed away, clutching his cheeks.

"Y-yo-you look tired Tsuruga-san…I'll..go get you some water!" The manager pivoted and took off at top speed, leave a deep trench in the sand.

"I'll come too Yashiro-san …!"

Before he could take off, a firm hand landed on Hikaru's shoulder, and squeezed it hard. His face partially turned a pale shade of fearful blue. "Before you go, I'd suggest you look for someone else Ishibashi-san...as friendly advice from her senpai."

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"Okay Mogami-san, we need a few more edgy shots." The female creative director said happily. She had heard the young actress was extremely polite and shy, but the aura she was emitting was the same one the magazine readers had been asking for. They liked her Natsu, and the media was in the business of getting its customers what they want.

"Try putting one arm over your head and the other arm low across your ribcage."

As she posed in the sand, he looked at the captivated staff men around him. Her bad girl character won the audience, and the photographer lapped up the sexy poses as she delivered. Made to look wet, her deep strawberry blond hair fell over her eye, and she bit her lower lip like she was thinking of something immoral.

"Can you lay your back in the sand and look up at the camera next?"

When she wasn't advised where to direct her gaze, he found her consistently looking at him. Her smile was sinfully attractive, playful yet overconfident.

_Well, we can't have that._

The Emperor smiled back.

* * *

***pulls puppy Ren back by his leash* I don't care what she does to you! Not only are you on a public beach with an audience… *points to the staff members on the shore and the audience beyond the screen* This is only T rated! *points to the top of the screen* You better control yourself!**

**And you don't think Sho would just stand around and take pretty photos the whole time..right? Next chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5

Fuwa Sho knelt knee deep in the surf, grinning confidently as he offered his hand. The sea foam splashed around him as the sun gleamed above, catching in his corn colored crown. The sound of the shutter clicked repeatedly, as the photographer captured the attractive scene at all the typical angles.

Standing up and setting his camera to hang by its neck cord, the content professional stretched out and put a hand forward to his model. "Fuwa-san, I think we got all the photos we need. Could you go let Tsuruga-san know we're ready for him now?"

The musician grunted his resentful acceptance of the task, taking the other man's hand and pulling himself to his feet. Once he got back on the dry beach, he pulled off the scratchy mesh shirt and threw it into the sand. The few females on staff squealed their approval at his well-toned chest, but he didn't pay them any mind. Grabbing an oversized towel from the nearest chair and draping it over his back, he took the bottle from his manager's outstretched hands and poured it over his blond locks. She made an effort to say something, but he turned around and cut her off before she had the chance.

Shoko was a cute and efficient manager, but her lectures had grown to be annoying. All she talked about lately was how he needed to be more professional, more mature. Fuwa Sho _was _professional. And he _was _mature. It was that damn Tsuruga Ren that wasn't professional, baiting him and making him lose his temper.

Sho kicked at a sand dune, muttering at his plight. He almost tripped over the wide trench hidden behind it, and cursed at whatever idiot had paved a path in the middle of the beach. He clenched his fists in his pockets, as he walked along the shore, looking for the next celebrity. Shoko probably wanted to stop him and tell him she would go look for Tsuruga, but he'd prove to her and the rest of the freaking staff that he was mature enough to tag the talentless actor into going next.

_I'm a celebrity damn it, and yet they're treating me like some damn errand boy. Why the hell do I have to go find that bastard?_

Wandering around aimlessly, he spotted a crowd of people on the other side of the shore. Intrigued, he walked towards the group. The staff members standing around in full garb, and the multitude of props and boxes, made him realize it was the magazine's girls shoot.

For the first time in a while, he gave a true wide smile. He hadn't had a chance to see the names of the winner on the girls list, but if they had picked him on the male side, the females were sure to be of top quality. Pochiri hadn't even made the runner's up list. Her lamenting, annoyed face had been almost as irked as his when he found out the pretty boy actor had made it on. He hadn't even listened to her as she rattled off the winners. Although to be truthful, he tended to block her out whenever he could.

Catching the large back of the bastard he needed also standing there, he marched over to the other side of the beach, determined to see what caught his interest.

Between a small gap of the watching crowd, he noticed the female posing on the sand, catching everyone's attention. The first thing he saw was that she wasn't nearly as curvy as Pochiri, nor was the bathing suit even really that showy, but the way she knelt screamed provocative. The white sand crystals stuck to her thighs, and her drenched hair fell over her face, was able to make a rather conservative body and swimsuit the very definition of erotic.

Her sensual, seductive-looking glance made him bite his lip and look away a bit embarrassed. He had seen plenty of gorgeous young girls before, but he preferred older women. Usually they weren't nearly as clingy as the girls his age, and they were more well-endowed. Still, the poses this particular model made gave her a maturity that he didn't see much in women around his own age. He turned and looked again at her sultry face.

_She's definitely young, and her bedroom eyes…gold…_

His jaw dropped as he recognized the scantily clad model in the sand. Tearing away the towel from his back, he ran to the edge of the beach and through the group of staff members watching the shoot take place. Scooping up the actress to her feet, he purposely covered her with both his towel and his figure, using his back to shield the girl from the crowd.

"What the hell do you think you're doing dressed like that?"

The familiar flint gray eyes snapped her cold confidence back to the wide eyed innocence she normally wore. In shock at his sudden appearance, Kyoko went to pull back, but he grabbed her tiny wrist and pulled her closer to him.

"Do you have any idea how public these photos are going to be? How many guys will be looking at you like you're a piece of meat?"

Shaking the surprise off, Kyoko pulled her arm away from Sho's tight grip. The demons slivered out like snakes behind her as her temper quickly rose to meet his.

"This is my job Sho! Leave me alone and go do yours!"

Not to be deterred, he grabbed her naked shoulders and pulled her closer. He dropped his voice to a furious hiss, not wanting to create more of a spectacle than he knew what he was already causing.

"No! I'm not going to let you degrade yourself for revenge. If you want to beat me, fine, but not by _whoring_ yourself for the camera."

She pulled back from him as if he just slapped her.

The beach went from summery and enjoyable to dark, cold and dangerous in a matter of moments. The blood lust aura swept through the crowd like a blizzard wind, so cold it felt like flames of ice. Sho's back broke into goose bumps, petrified.

* * *

Seeing the young, arrogant musician push his way through the crowd jolted Ren back to his normal self. The crowd of stunned spectators watched the as scene went from an enticing show of a stunning girl, to two new celebrities arguing with each other.

The tide rose, crashing along the shore increased volume. The musician spoke just loud enough to catch a few words, but the reflection in his voice and the fury in his stance gave away more than enough needed to guess the conversation.

"…doing dressed like that?"

Gossiping whispers broke out near Ren.

"Do you think Fuwa and Kyoko-san...?"

"He's awfully protective. She's a professional. "

"Well any guy who loved a girl would be…"

A muscle ticked unpleasantly in his clenched jaw. As much as he hated to admit it, Ren had a few infinitesimal seconds where he was caught between massive irritation and a bit of grudging respect in a ratio of 99 to one. The musician really had no right to be interfering with her job and hiding her body from the camera. Still, he'd by lying if Ren pretended he hadn't felt the same way as Sho. He wanted to keep his kohai fully clothed and away from the less noble parts of the acting world. It was one thing to be mobbed by enthusiastic fangirls on the street corner as he was, but she only had had one stalker, who managed to harass her twice in less than twenty-four hours.

"… public…photos are going to be? …many guys…looking at you like…."

The muscle ticked unpleasantly again, though Ren was able to keep his impartial mask from showing more.

_This was getting ridiculous…_

Ren walked up smoothly to the couple. The rumors would go crazy if he didn't put a stop to it now.

"No! I'm …let you… beat me, fine…by _whoring_ yourself..."

Seeing her horrified reaction was simply the last straw.

* * *

**Sorry guys, I like to throw curve balls. No Emperor here! Don't hate me T_T I didn't want to sleep until I got this chapter out. Two more left. I want to complete all my stories before Friday so I can graduate from school and fanfiction at the same time. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Who knew SB! fans were so blood-thirsty... ~.~' **

**

* * *

**

Kyoko's shocked expression changed as fast as a phantom turning on a light switch. The water swelled strongly around the couple, as if they were the epicenter of an underwater earthquake. Her once handsome face morphed and twisted, baring an arctic, aristocratic rage. Her stance returned to its common perfection, as she lazily swatted one of his hands off her shoulder. Although her hair remained strawberry blond, it gave the impression it had been dyed back to its original black as ink hue.

Lifting her head, she met Sho's direct gaze with her own. The way she glared at him reminded him of that disfiguring scar the actress use to wear, and her voice was as cruel and proud as the old character's dress. Familiar demons swept around them as if a whirlwind of poisonous moths to a blue-white inferno, blowing ripples into the sea.

"What did you say Shoutaro? Surely you didn't just suggest my modeling equivocates to the loose women you're use to."

He unconsciously took a step back from the she-demon's face, but kept his other hand grasped on her shoulder. He used it at a physical reminder to not pull and run. As scary as her face was, it was still Kyoko.

The glint of her counterfeit smile unnerved him, and she batted away the second hand as if an insignificant fly. Her laugh was vindictive as her other features, as she continued on.

"I am a professional Sho. I am not bothered by such minor things as a photographer carrying on his end of the job I was assigned. I am doing my job for my own reasons."

A slideshow of Kyoko's furious faces ran through his mind. From the time she flicked the seasoning packet at him, to the time he had forcibly shared a piece of Valentine's chocolate, to even when she erupted and declared her revenge; it all stemmed from the same airhead princess lover, who followed him to Tokyo and remained the only true childhood friend he had had growing up.

_Her reason for doing this, even her acting, is revenge against me…_

Sho's forehead wrinkled in annoyance, and he pulled the towel around her tighter. "I said if this bet matters so much to you, you win. Just put some damn clothes on. I don't want anyone to see you like this. You're not supposed to be like this…"

A unspoken warning of something dangerous coming ran down Fuwa's back like a large block of ice. He shivered as if it had been dragged down directly over his spine. The musician felt himself get powerfully pulled back, his hand wrenched away from the fluffy towel. Forcibly turned, Sho twisted directly into the furious face of the demon king. He tried to pull back. Ren's tightened grip kept him still, close enough so that the two men were the only ones able to hear.

"Don't you think you've caused enough trouble for Mogami-san?" The taller man said forebodingly.

The musician winced, but he didn't make a move in any direction as the actor manhandled him. Sho kept his stance just as strong as his opponent, as he felt the adrenaline run through his teenage veins. If it would come to blows, he had to be ready.

_I almost trusted this bastard to protect Kyoko when I'm not around, and here he's just as bad..._

Sho grew angry in response.

"What's it to you Tsuruga? You want to see her out here, lusted after? Are you no better.."

The actor leaned in closer, glaring menacingly. The motion made Sho silence, but as his own words ran in his head, he began to glare back just as intensely. Ren squeezed Fuwa's wrist harder.

"This isn't the first time you've bothered Mogami-san on set, Fuwa-san. You're not one to talk."

With a desire of violence he hadn't felt since he had stepped onto the island on Japan, Ren held on to his composed facade by a quickly fraying thread. Witnesses be damned he though, he had held back from interrupting the two's entangled fate directly for far too long. The jealousy and anger blended into adrenaline, ready to put an end to the kid's selfish hold on his kohai.

"Fuwa, Tsuruga, you're interrupting the shoot." Kanae said coolly, as she marched up to the group of three. Effectively snapping the moment between the two, she motioned back with her hand, pointing to at the crowd of intrigued professional bystanders. They were so enthralled with the turn of events, all action had long since frozen on the set, seeming to have forgotten about original task at hand. "As professionals, we all have a job to do here. Have you forgotten that?" Kanae crossed her arms, and gave them a look that made it plainly clear she though there was no more that was needed to be said.

"I didn't forget." Sho spat tetchily back, finally pulling his hand free. He looked back at his childhood friend's face, as if seeing it for the first time. He kept his gaze only for a moment. The musician ticked his head to the side, using his hair to cover his eyes as he looked away. "She can do whatever she wants to. I was just..." The musician's voice was still annoyed, but he knew better than to push the issue further; not with a group of LME members looming over him, and the staff so absorbed. "Tsk, whatever."

Sho put his tightened fists in his swim trunks and started walking away. The sentence hung heavily in the air as the moody teen marched off, chewing his lip. He gave off the feeling of forced aloofness, not bothering to look up at the people around him. The crowd obediently parted a path for him to walk through, not wanting to hinder the young man's way.

The three LME actors in the water turned to look at his retreating back. Not bothering to turn around, Fuwa raised his voice and made a nonchalant hand motion over his shoulder. The murmurs of the spectators dropped enough so that he could be heard.

"The director said he's ready for you, Tsuruga."

Ren turned his head and looked at Kyoko, who was busy watching the musician walk away. Her eyes, once full of lustful arrogance, then blinding hatred, now filled with embarrassment, shock, lingering anger, and a tiny mix of remorse.

She turned up to meet his gaze for a short pause. Kyoko looked at him as if she was just realizing he was watching her, and put her head down in shame.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your shoot Tsuruga-san."

"Director..." Kanae called, putting her hands on her hips and turning to the director. "Are we done for today?"

Surprised to be brought up, the director snapped out of her reverie. "I think we should call it a wrap for today. Right?" The other producers nodded dumbfounded, unsure how to file the sight that just took place.

As Ren walked away from the scene, he could hear the group slowly start to remember while they were there. They started to shift boxes and move lighting, as everyone started to clean up. Ren could faintly hear Kotonami's angry voice above the bustle, suggesting/demanding a chat with her fellow coworker. He swore he'd find a moment to talk to her as well.

* * *

**This was a terribly hard chapter to write. It may seem straight forward, (Ren and Sho fight. Ren wins. Kyoko kisses him. The end!) but if it were that easy, it wouldn't be Skip Beat. **

**My mind had all the pages drawn, beginning to end, except for this big climax scene. It took me forever to draw a proper storyboard in my mind. Kyoko is definitely one to stay and fight, especially when her enemy is Sho, but I wanted Sho to have some remorse. Just a tiny bit, to justify why I didn't write him getting crushed to the ground.**

**Last chapter next, with some romance. Hopefully before I go on hiatus for graduation. *tired sigh***


	7. Chapter 7: Final

Ren held his sandals in his hand, walking barefoot along the moonlit beach. The popular shore was strangely empty, for once void of its usual tourists, workers, and nearby occupants. The ocean's mist, along with the yet to depart nightly spring chill, kept the evening-strolling couples indoors. The rush of the surf blocked out much of the noise from the nearby resorts. He found the desolate view oddly comforting, especially after the mess that had taken place that very afternoon.

Luckily he had made it to set before the details of what happened with Fuwa had trickled to the other side of the photoshoot. The musician was nowhere to be found, which helped him slip back into the skin of his "Tsuruga Ren – the forever gentleman" role. It had been relatively easy to get into the proper poses, once the photographer had changed the "feel" of the shoot. One of competition and aggressiveness, rather than the theme of comradely and friendship he had been aspiring to before, fit the actor's mood much better.

The whispers started not too long into his shoot. Ren noticed many of the staff who had watched the confrontation had now come to observe him, probably in hopes of catching another out-of-character show. That sort of major slip up reminded Ren of Kuon, the violent teenager he thought he had left behind. By the time the photographer had called out his satisfaction, the actor could see how annoyed the photographer was with his fellow stagehands.

Ren had been sure to be as courteous as possible as he mingled with the crowd, thanking the staff members for their work and signing autographs, smiling constantly once he was off set. Now was the time to go on major damage control. Yashiro would have to play gossip killer for the next couple of days trying to prevent the scandalous story from hitting any entertainment news shows.

He had tried to get in contact with his manager all day, but the hotel room they shared was strangely empty, and Yashiro's phone went into voicemail after the customary four rings. Usually if his manager broke his phone, the cell would directly go into voicemail. It was obvious Yashiro was purposefully keeping a large distance away from his charge. If Yashiro had heard the story of what took place on the beach (which he was sure to have), Ren doubted he would be brave enough to head back to Tokyo with his actor on the same flight. Yashiro was probably worried that he would be the next one on the chopping block for looking at Kyoko. Which in all honestly, the manager had been.

Ren stopped in his tracks, as the thought of her rose in his mind. The way her hair fell over her eyes, the way she laid in the sand with her body…

Shaking his head, he tried to clear his thoughts. He hate to admit it, but the reason he almost fully snapped was because Fuwa had been right. He did want to hide her away and not let her been seen like that. He was angry that he couldn't storm in the set and block her from view. There were others that were looking at her with the same lustful glances as he himself had to hold back. In truth, he was just as attracted as his manager, the host, and almost all the male onlookers. The fact that others could be just as captivated as him meant that others would start vying for her heart as well, and he was jealous enough to want to prevent her from that.

_I am no better…no better than them, no better than Fuwa…_

A small refraction of light bounced ahead in the distance, distracting him from his train of thought. A small pale hand held the familiar stone up to the moon's light. Its owner sat silently captivated by her gem, unresponsive to the world around her.

As he approached the girl, she brought the stone to her chest and held it to her like in prayer. Ren could faintly hear her as he grew closer to where she sat. Her eyes closed, she failed to notice her senpai slowly draw near.

"…I'm okay…life…own…and won't be…disappointment to all those who have helped me anymore. I am growing. I will become better. I won't cry. I won't cry. I won't.."

"Mogami-san?" Ren asked questioningly, leaning over her small frame.

"Eep! Tsuruga-san!" Kyoko jumped to her feet almost immediately. She bowed repeatedly in apology. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry to be in your way!"

"Mogami-san, I don't own the beach. You are just as free to be here as I am." He was happy to notice she was wearing an loose orange beach dress, which properly covered most of her figure. "But…what about your stone?"

Looking down at her empty hands, the petite teenager grabbed her cheeks in horror and howled. "No! Corn!"

She wailed as she flung herself into the sand. Digging with inhuman vigor, Ren watched as she tunneled herself a deep doughnut shaped moat. It quickly filled with her hysterical tears, as she continued to burrow.

"What am I going to do? Corn! Please come out Corn!"

Seeing her frenzied about the loss of her 'fairy' stone, Ren dropped his shoes and slowly got onto his knees, beginning to survey the nearby coast. He ran his long fingers through the sand, trying to scoop out the precious gem from its hiding spot. Pulling his hands up, he allowed the tiny crystals spilled between the cracks of his fingers, in hopes that the stone would be caught in his large grip.

"I can't believe this…Corn…I've even let down Corn…"

Her frantic tears stemmed as she continued to scour the dark shore. Kyoko voice still called out, as if hopeful the stone would hear and emerge from its hiding place.

"Tsuruga-san…" Kyoko called, as the night grew deeper and the stars became more pronounced. Her voice sounded dejected and empty, but she didn't stop her search. "You should go have dinner. The cafeteria will be closed soon…"

"You should come too Mogami-san" Ren replied, pausing to look up her. "You also need to eat, and rest. We can look for…"

"No!" Kyoko cried out suddenly, interrupting him and making the actor slightly jump in surprise. "I'm sorry Tsuruga-san…I can't go. I need Corn…I can't leave him…" She curled her hands into fists, casting small indentations into the sand. Her voice wavered, barely restrained from cracking. "I've already let so many people down…"

"Mogami-san…" He said soothingly, "I see…"

"Tsuruga-san, please don't try to console me." The actress cut him off again. Her arms shook as she looked down into the dark ground. "You don't have to tell me…I know I embarrassed myself today. I know I didn't act like a proper professional. I interfered with the entire shoot, I let Sho harass me again, I made you have to protect me, and I unabashedly flaunted myself to the horror of everyone around me." She took a trembling breath, trying to hold herself back. "And now…and now…I even lost the only memento of the person who never let me down. I let him down too…"

Ren leaned closer to her, and moved his hand to a tucked roll of material. Pulling it loose, the sapphire coloured stone neatly fell into his outstretched hand. "Mogami-san, look..."

"Corn!" She cried, as she grabbed the crystal from his hand. Kyoko sniffled, as she rubbed the stone happily to her cheek. She sat back, putting the gem to the moonlight to make sure the jewel contained its magic to change colours. "You found him!"

Laughing lightly at her calmed expression, Ren sat on the dry sand, watching her cuddle with her treasure. "Mogami-san, all you did was play the part of a passionate, charming teenage girl while working on set." His smile dropped a bit, catching her gaze, as he continued. "What transpired today, between Fuwa Sho and I, was something beyond your control."

Her eyes stared at him, a watery look of disbelief.

"I promise you Mogami-san, I am not angry at you. You were able to hold yourself back from a scene that could have been much worse, you modeled the way you were asked to…and I am happy to protect you when I can." He looked at her with a gentle smile, and turned away to stare at the moon.

"Tsuruga-san…" Kyoko mumbled, in temporary awe at the her model senpai, silhouetted against the bright satellite and the stars.

A sudden strong gust rocked through both of them as they rested in the sand. Catching her shiver, Ren unbuttoned the short sleeve shirt, planning to wrap it around her bare shoulders as a light protection from the cool breeze blowing in. She stuttered her disagreement, and shook her hands in rejection.

"You should take it before you catch a cold Mogami-san." The senpai said firmly. "Either take it or go inside."

"I can't Tsuruga-san. " Kyoko whined, continuing to push the shirt away from her. "And I don't want to rob you of shirt. You may get cold."

He hummed in disapproval, but withdrew the shirt. Getting to his feet, she watched as the actor stood up to his full height, and took a step behind her towards the staff resort. Instead of continuing however, he instead sat himself behind her, and pulled her into his lap. He kept one of his arms tucked around her stomach, keeping her steadily in place to prevent any jumps to freedom. She felt his nude chest press against her arm, and immediately turned red.

"Eh? Tsuruga-san?" Her jaw dropped as she turned back to her Ren's calm, and extremely close face.

"Well, it simply makes sense Mogami-san." He stated calmly, shrugging as if the adjacent body was nothing more than an inanimate object. "I'm not going to go in without you, and you said you didn't want me to get cold."

"I d-d-did, bu-bu-but.."

"Don't you know the best way to keep warm is to conserve as much body heat as possible?" His collected senpai voice rang out, full of instructing reflection.

"b-but-but…" His kohai stuttered back, her body shivering in shock.

"Now, tell me why you can't go back inside. Is it Fuwa-san again?" Ren asked, his voice dropping lightly in disapproval.

"N-n-n-o-no!" Kyoko quickly interjected. "Mo-m-moko-san s-sa-says t-t-t-t-that I'm b-be-being sil-silly. I w-w-was t-tr-rying to exp-p-lain to her how g-g-great of an actor you are." Even in the moonlight, when she turned her head forward, he could tell she was still blushing. "How you kn-kn-knew how to handle my Nat-t-su properly was by acting j-je-jealous."

Ren paused, reflecting over her words. "Is that why you were teasing my co-worker and my manager? To make me jealous?"

"I-i-i-i-I'M SORRY! I-I..." Kyoko whined.

"Well," His voice dropped to a velvety purr, as he caught her hip and slid her onto the sand. He repositioned himself so that his hung over her, his hand pressed in the sand next to her waist. Leaning down so close that their noses nearly touched, the Emperor of the Night smiled his predatory winning grin. "I guess this is moment when I prove to you how unwilling I am to share…"

"EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?"

* * *

**Tee hee. It may be really late, and I may have butt-loads of packing to do, which I'll have to wake up early for, but I wanted to finish this extra long final chapter as a thank you to everyone who reviewed this story. I was never expecting such a reviewer turn out, and while it was overwhelming, it was the good kind.**


	8. Epilogue

Leaning up against the bathroom mirror, the raven haired beauty dipped the old paintbrush into her homemade green tea mud mask. Paying close attention to detail, she swept the concoction over the bare spots on her smooth skin. Once entirely olive coloured, the attractive model actress let the face mask set and rested the brush on top of her reused jar.

Curious at the time, Kanae peeked her head out to look at the hotel clock. The time glowed in the darkness of the room. The open window allowed the moon to shine in, but even then there wasn't much light. It made the flashing green 9:35 even more noticeable.

Well past nine, she looked worriedly around the shadowy space for her hotel roommate. Ever since they had gotten into that disagreement about her senpai, Kyoko had been staying away from her best friend's presence. The auburn haired actress had even skipped dinner, which was unlike her. Here she was, waiting to share her secret beauty mask with her overzealous, naive co-worker, to make up for earlier in the day, and the crazy girl was nowhere.

Kanae huffed indignantly at the thought of their argument. Kanae was an actress. She lived, ate, and breathed acting. When she wasn't acting, she observed other actors and actresses in the field. Tsuruga Ren was an amazing actor, even she admitted it. However, no man was that good. Even when no one was looking at him, the popular model still appeared protectively jealous of his kohai. The way he loomed over his competition when Kyoko had flirted with other men was just one stake in the coffin. The way he, "Tsuruga Ren – the forever gentleman," man-handled the arrogant jerk of a musician during the take, made it sinfully obvious that Tsuruga was not looking at his kohai in the way a senpai should. There was no way that was acting, but Kyoko wouldn't listen and kept insisting it was.

In a way, the whole situation made Kanae a bit happy. The only person she was aware that Kyoko trusted and adored was her. Kyoko's straight forward denial and oblivion made it clear that Tsuruga was just her senpai, and therefore she won. The title of friend was definitely above the station of senpai. It was good to have a best friend's undying lov…loyalty. Kyoko was a fellow pea in their love hating pod. Men tended to change everything. As frustrating as "Moko-san!" was, she wasn't ready to allow anyone just waltz into Kyoko's life, even Tsuruga Ren. If Kyoko were to be stolen away, the only person that ever focused on Kanae for unselfish means, would be far too busy to continue that link. She'd lose her best friend.

_Ah mo! Not that I care or anything…_

A polite knock shook her thoughts away. Kanae went to exit the washroom, then paused. If it was official business, they would call directly to the room phone. Kyoko had her room key and a cell phone too, so there would be no reason for her to knock. Other than those two parties, there was no need to be in contact the outside world. The mask had to set for at least thirty minutes, and if anyone found out that Kotonami Kanae used cheap homemade creams rather than the expensive department store brands she advertised, it might be bad publicity.

The sound of a card room key had her drawing back into the bathroom. It caught her off kilter. It'd be strange for anyone to knock, then enter with a card, unless if it was a hotel staff member.

Closing the bathroom light and door, she peeked through the crack into the room. A tall figure made his way into the room, and made his way to one of the beds in a strange manor.

_I don't think that guy is wearing a hotel uniform…A pervert? _

A swell of anger rose in her chest, and she leaned closer to the door to get a better view of the perpetrator. His face was opposite to her, and the only thing she could pick out was that he was well toned and shirtless. He was leaning over her bed now, no doubt to smell her pillow or whatever hentai pervert things he could think of.

_I don't even have a way of getting out of here or calling for help. He looks like a big guy too…I doubt I can face him or run out fast enough…_

The domineering figure shifted his body, illuminating part of him in the open window's moonlight. It wasn't him that took the hiding actress's breath away, it was the limp, doll-like creature in his arms he was setting down. Even at night, she could recognize that dark strawberry hairstyle anywhere.

Pushing the door open in a flurry, fist raised, she caught the man off-guard. Forced to drop the fainted girl on the bed, the man turned and caught the dainty wrists just in time. Holding them above her head, he tried to hold the spitting, hissing girl still, as she fought violently against him.

"Don't touch her you bastard!" Kanae yelled, thrashing and pulling from the man's grip in vain.

"Wait! Wait! Kotonami-san!" He pleaded, trying to get his kohai's best friend to calm down.

The lying girl whimpered incomprehensibly, stirring from the loud volume. The faint sound was enough to distract the defender, and sensing her opportunity, she drove her knee firmly between the man's legs.

Doing its job, the man fell down immediately, letting go of the girl and clutching his crotch. Kanae took the chance to circle around and shake the unconscious girl back to consciousness. "Kyoko, Kyoko, wake up! We have to get out of here!"

Once Kyoko awoke, she snapped up like a wide-eyed spring.

"EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! TSURUGA-SAN I'M SORRY!"

Kanae stopped shaking at once. "Huh? Tsuruga-san?"

Turning around and flicking the light switch on, she allowed the artificial light bathe over the room. Indeed, the hunched figure of the number one actor/model of Japan was there, recovering from her attack.

Kanae vaguely wondered if her LoveMe book could hold all those -10% stamps.

* * *

When Tsuruga gave her 100% for her "self-defense and fiercely protective friendship," Kotonami came to the hesitant conclusion she could share. Maybe. She wouldn't help him win her friend over, but she wouldn't hinder him either. If he did manage, she certainly wouldn't wear whatever terribly fluffy dress Kyoko picked for her maid-of-honor.

* * *

**I work now. Still, missed writing though. Now I can sleep well. Hope you liked this attempt at humour and strange epilogue**


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